But the Israelites walked on dry ground in the middle of the sea, the water forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. So the LORD saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea.
Into the Text
The miracle at the Red Sea is often portrayed in children’s Bible storybooks. In them, you see Moses standing with his arms and staff outstretched. In front of him, two separated walls of water appear as smiling fish watch the Israelites pass through their midst.
But this event was so much greater than is typically depicted. It truly is a miracle. Put yourself in the place of an Israelite. You just hastily left an oppressive home in Egypt after witnessing the ten plagues God sent.
Now, you’re running away in the desert. Pharaoh’s army is chasing you, and you’ve come to the Red Sea. There’s nowhere to go. You either try to cross the sea and drown or turn around and face the Egyptian army.
Can God be trusted? In the middle of the night, with tension high and anxieties setting in at the sound of distant chariots and horses, Moses lifts up his hands toward the sea.
You hear the water loudly rushing as a pathway begins to appear. You’re being told to walk through on dry ground! Will this water stay up? Will the Egyptians come after you through this same path?
As you make it to the other side, the walls of water collapse and come crashing over the Egyptians. This God is real. He is the Almighty God who is over all, and He can indeed be trusted.
The Red Sea miracle is one that we still stand in awe of today. May we never grow tired of reading familiar passages so that we may clearly see our God for who He is.
Prayer
God, you are still in the business of miraculously rescuing people today through Jesus. May I never grow tired of seeing how you’re at work. Amen.